China & the Hill is a weekly newsletter covering Washington DC’s China-focused debates, actions, and reactions. Readers will receive a curated digest of this week’s most pressing U.S.-China news and its impact on businesses and policy, and can listen to the top stories in podcast form on the U.S.-China Podcast.
China & the Hill is published by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, the leading nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages understanding of China and the United States among citizens of both countries.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
You're listening to China & the Hill.
Your essential weekly updateon the most important news shaping U.S.
China relations, politics, businessand international affairs.
Today is March 4th, and we'll be divinginto key developments in U.S.
China relations, from advancementsin military ties
to how both are securing accessto critical minerals worldwide.
Let's get into it.
(00:20):
This week, lawmakersintroduced a series of bills targeting
economic security,human rights and Taiwan policy
alongside efforts to curb China'sinfluence in key industries.
Two new bills
aim to limit the use of Chinese technologyand financial services in the US.
House Bill 1730 would prohibittransactions using Alipay,
a widely used Chinese payment platform.
(00:40):
Meanwhile, Senate Bill 765 would ban U.S.
executive agencies from using DeepSeek,a China based AI powered search engine.
Regarding human rights issues,House Bill 1540 proposes
sanctions related to forced organharvesting within the PRC.
Meanwhile, the No Dollars to Uighur ForcedLabor Act would block federal funds
from supporting any activities in China'sXinjiang region.
(01:02):
Congress is also advancing measuresto deter aggression against Taiwan.
The PROTECT Taiwan Act (H.R.1531)would pressure financial regulators
to exclude Chinese representatives
from key international bankingorganizations if Beijing threatens Taiwan.
Similarly, House Bill 1716,the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence
Act of 2025, calls for automatic sanctionson top
(01:22):
Chinese officials and public disclosureof their financial assets.
If China invades Taiwan.
Additionally, Senate Bill 733,the Taiwan Travel and Tourism
Coordination Act seeks to strengthen
U.S.-Taiwan cooperationon tourism and travel policies.
Several bills focus on countering China'sstrategic influence abroad.
the Strategic Ports Reporting Act,would require the Secretaries of Defense
(01:44):
and State to monitor
China's attempts to acquire or buildforeign ports with strategic value.
House Bill 1575, the No American Landfor Communist China Act seeks to ban
certain Chinese entities from purchasingland near federally protected areas.
Similarly,the Protecting American Agriculture
from Foreign AdversariesAct would amend U.S.
law to scrutinize Chinese investmentsin American agricultural land.
(02:06):
Finally, in regard to economic competitionand security, Senate Bill 731,
the Time to Choose Act would prohibitconsulting firms from contracting
with both the U.S. government
and Chinese entities simultaneously,reducing conflicts of interest.
Meanwhile, the ChinaFinancial Threat Mitigation Act directs
a federal review of potential risksto U.S.
financial stabilityfrom China's economic policies.
(02:28):
As for hearings this week, severalcongressional committees are holding
hearings related to securityand countering threats from China.
On March 5th, the “House Select Committeeon the Strategic Competition
Between the U.S.
and the CCP” Will hold a hearing called“End the Typhoons: How to Deter Beijing's
Cyber Actions and Enhance America'sLackluster Cyber Defenses.” Lawmakers
will examine China's cyber warfare tacticsand discuss ways to strengthen U.S.
(02:50):
cyber resilience against Beijing'sdigital threats.
Also on Wednesday, the House HomelandSecurity Committee will hold a hearing
called “Countering Threats Posedby the Chinese Communist Party to U.S.
National Security.”
This session will likely cover espionage,cybersecurity and vulnerabilities
in infrastructure.
On Thursday, March 6th, the SenateArmed Services Committee will discuss
“Defense Mobilizationin the 21st Century” to address U.S.
(03:11):
military readiness For more Happenings
on The Hill news from this week, visitthe China and the Hill newsletter.
Moving on to the latest in chips news.
Despite the U.S.'s efforts to curb China'saccess to cutting edge AI technology,
Chinese companies are finding waysto acquire Nvidia's latest AI chips.
Reports indicate that firms like Alibaba,ByteDance
and Tencent are placinglarge orders for Nvidia's H20 chips.
(03:34):
One of the most powerful models of chipsstill legally available for import
under U.S. restrictions.
Some resellers are bypassingtrade controls entirely by using entities
registered outside of Chinato purchase more advanced Nvidia chips,
which are covered by U.S.
trade restrictions,
or by selling computing systemswith pre-installed Nvidia chips.
Several individualswho routed chips from Singapore to China
(03:55):
via Malaysia have already been chargedwith fraud in Singapore.
Meanwhile, the Chinese governmenthas reportedly advised
AI executives and expertsto avoid traveling to the U.S.
over concerns
they could be detained or pressured
into sharing sensitive informationabout the country's progress,
or be used as bargaining chipsin U.S.-China negotiations.
Those who do travel are requiredto report their plans and debrief
(04:15):
authorities upon the return.
As the U.S.
continues to restrict Chinese accessto advanced chips.
Taiwan SemiconductorManufacturing Company, also known as
TSMC, is expanding chipmanufacturing in the U.S.
TSMC, the world's leading chip maker,just announced a $100
billion investmentto expand manufacturing in Arizona.
This includesthree additional manufacturing plants
(04:36):
and two packaging facilities, markingone of the largest foreign investments
in U.S. semiconductor history.
Its first factory in Arizonahas already begun mass production of its
four nanometer chips then plans to producetwo nanometer chips by the decade's end.
on the mainland.
China is ramping up incentives to attractTaiwanese talent and businesses.
the Fujian provincial government unveileda new set of 17 incentive measures,
(04:59):
which offer financial subsidies,streamlined investment
applications and housing incentivesto attract Taiwanese workers
in key industries like EV batteries,biopharmaceuticals and media production.
At least 100 positions will be createdannually for Taiwanese
to work in the lithium battery industry.
Subsidies will be providedfor those with academic degrees
and applications for Taiwanese businesses
(05:19):
to invest in radio and televisionproduction will be simplified.
These policies are part of Beijing'sbroader strategy to deepen
cross-strait integrationwith Fujian officially designated
as a model zonefor integrated development in 2023.
At the same time, Beijing has escalatedmilitary pressure in Taiwan,
conducting intensive military drillsin the Taiwan Strait.
moving over to Latin Americain a $22.8 billion deal
(05:42):
an investment group led by BlackRockhas agreed to acquire majority stakes
in ports on both sides of the PanamaCanal from Hong Kong based C.K.
Hutchinson.
This move will shift
control of these strategic ports to anAmerican led consortium, addressing U.S.
security concerns overBeijing's influence in the region.
The two ports, Balboa and Cristobal,are critical corridors
for global trade, bracketingeither end of the Panama Canal.
(06:05):
this deal is part of a broader agreementto acquire C.K.
Hutchinson's controllingstakes in 43 other ports across 23
countries, marking BlackRock'slargest ever infrastructure investment.
In trade news.
Last week, President Trump announceda 10% tariff hike on Chinese imports,
citing the flow of illegal drugs,particularly fentanyl, into the U.S.
from China.
(06:25):
This move brought the total tariffon Chinese goods to 20%.
In response, this Tuesday,China has imposed tariffs on US
agricultural products, including poultryand soybeans, and has blacklisted
sales to 15 American companies.
This expands the range of goodstargeted by China's tariffs,
which previously included liquefiednatural gas, coal and farm equipment.
The latest move carries
(06:45):
significant implicationsfor the American agriculture sector,
as China remains the largest overseasmarket for U.S.
farmers.
As the U.S.-China relationship slidesfurther into a protracted trade conflict,
Both countries are shoring up accessto critical minerals through trade deals.
In the Pacific, China recentlysigned a deal with Cook Islands
Prime Minister Mark Brown coveringinfrastructure, shipbuilding,
(07:06):
tourism and critically,deep sea mineral exploration.
Rarotonga, the largest Cook Island,saw protests against the deal,
along with a parliamentary no confidencevote against Brown, which he survived.
Close regional partners
New Zealand and Australiaalso expressed surprise and alarm.
Seeking to circumvent China'sdominance in critical minerals
supply chains and its strict exportrestrictions, The U.S.
(07:27):
is mulling a deal on mineral accessin war-torn Ukraine,
while simultaneously pursuinga closer relationship with the Kremlin.
Russian President Vladimir Putinalso indicated he may open up
access to rare earth mineralsin annexed regions of Ukraine.
Minerals including lithium and graphite,which Ukraine has in abundance,
are essential to producing batteries, TV,lighting and other high tech products.
(07:48):
But the ongoing war, along with China'sestablished
dominance in the mineral supplychain, Makes it uncertain whether the U.S.
can secure significant gainsfrom Ukrainian minerals.
While economic tensions dominateheadlines, the U.S.-China military
relationship is slowly advancing.
Last Thursday, China'sDefense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian, stated
that preliminary plans for talksbetween military leaders of both countries
(08:09):
had been establishedwith hopes for further growth.
The last known public contact between U.S.
and Chinese military leadersoccurred in September 2023,
when commanders overseeing operationsin the South China Sea held a call,
While China's maneuvers and incursions
in the South China Sea continueto raise concerns among regional U.S.
allies, Stablemilitary talks are widely viewed
as a way to prevent tensionsfrom escalating further.
(08:30):
Lastly, China's most importantpolitical event began today, March 4th.
Held annually,the Two Sessions meeting addresses
the country's current issuesand sets the tone for the year ahead.
This year, likely topics for discussioninclude China's economic challenges.
breakthroughs in AI sectorssuch as DeepSeek, U.S.
tariffs and the rapidlyshifting geopolitical landscape.
(08:51):
And that's allfor today's edition of China and the Hill.
If you enjoyed this podcast,check out the China in the Hill newsletter
where you can read these stories,track legislation,
and dive deeper into the issuesthat matter most.
Link in the descriptionFor more National Committee programing,
check out our other episodeswherever you get your podcasts,
or head over to our YouTube channel
for more in-depth discussions, interviewsand analysis.
(09:11):
Thanks for listening.We'll see you next week.
You're listening to China & the Hill.
Your essential weekly updateon the most important news shaping U.S.
China relations, politics, businessand international affairs.
Today is March 4th, and we'll be divinginto key developments in U.S.
China relations, from advancementsin military ties
to how both are securing accessto critical minerals worldwide.
Let's get into it.
(00:20):
This week, lawmakersintroduced a series of bills targeting
economic security,human rights and Taiwan policy
alongside efforts to curb China'sinfluence in key industries.
Two new bills
aim to limit the use of Chinese technologyand financial services in the US.
House Bill 1730 would prohibittransactions using Alipay,
a widely used Chinese payment platform.
(00:40):
Meanwhile, Senate Bill 765 would ban U.S.
executive agencies from using DeepSeek,a China based AI powered search engine.
Regarding human rights issues,House Bill 1540 proposes
sanctions related to forced organharvesting within the PRC.
Meanwhile, the No Dollars to Uighur ForcedLabor Act would block federal funds
from supporting any activities in China'sXinjiang region.
(01:02):
Congress is also advancing measuresto deter aggression against Taiwan.
The PROTECT Taiwan Act (H.R.1531)would pressure financial regulators
to exclude Chinese representatives
from key international bankingorganizations if Beijing threatens Taiwan.
Similarly, House Bill 1716,the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence
Act of 2025, calls for automatic sanctionson top
(01:22):
Chinese officials and public disclosureof their financial assets.
If China invades Taiwan.
Additionally, Senate Bill 733,the Taiwan Travel and Tourism
Coordination Act seeks to strengthen
U.S.-Taiwan cooperationon tourism and travel policies.
Several bills focus on countering China'sstrategic influence abroad.
the Strategic Ports Reporting Act,would require the Secretaries of Defense
(01:44):
and State to monitor
China's attempts to acquire or buildforeign ports with strategic value.
House Bill 1575, the No American Landfor Communist China Act seeks to ban
certain Chinese entities from purchasingland near federally protected areas.
Similarly,the Protecting American Agriculture
from Foreign AdversariesAct would amend U.S.
law to scrutinize Chinese investmentsin American agricultural land.
(02:06):
Finally, in regard to economic competitionand security, Senate Bill 731,
the Time to Choose Act would prohibitconsulting firms from contracting
with both the U.S. government
and Chinese entities simultaneously,reducing conflicts of interest.
Meanwhile, the ChinaFinancial Threat Mitigation Act directs
a federal review of potential risksto U.S.
financial stabilityfrom China's economic policies.
(02:28):
As for hearings this week, severalcongressional committees are holding
hearings related to securityand countering threats from China.
On March 5th, the “House Select Committeeon the Strategic Competition
Between the U.S.
and the CCP” Will hold a hearing called“End the Typhoons: How to Deter Beijing's
Cyber Actions and Enhance America'sLackluster Cyber Defenses.” Lawmakers
will examine China's cyber warfare tacticsand discuss ways to strengthen U.S.
(02:50):
cyber resilience against Beijing'sdigital threats.
Also on Wednesday, the House HomelandSecurity Committee will hold a hearing
called “Countering Threats Posedby the Chinese Communist Party to U.S.
National Security.”
This session will likely cover espionage,cybersecurity and vulnerabilities
in infrastructure.
On Thursday, March 6th, the SenateArmed Services Committee will discuss
“Defense Mobilizationin the 21st Century” to address U.S.
(03:11):
military readiness For more Happenings
on The Hill news from this week, visitthe China and the Hill newsletter.
Moving on to the latest in chips news.
Despite the U.S.'s efforts to curb China'saccess to cutting edge AI technology,
Chinese companies are finding waysto acquire Nvidia's latest AI chips.
Reports indicate that firms like Alibaba,ByteDance
and Tencent are placinglarge orders for Nvidia's H20 chips.
(03:34):
One of the most powerful models of chipsstill legally available for import
under U.S. restrictions.
Some resellers are bypassingtrade controls entirely by using entities
registered outside of Chinato purchase more advanced Nvidia chips,
which are covered by U.S.
trade restrictions,
or by selling computing systemswith pre-installed Nvidia chips.
Several individualswho routed chips from Singapore to China
(03:55):
via Malaysia have already been chargedwith fraud in Singapore.
Meanwhile, the Chinese governmenthas reportedly advised
AI executives and expertsto avoid traveling to the U.S.
over concerns
they could be detained or pressured
into sharing sensitive informationabout the country's progress,
or be used as bargaining chipsin U.S.-China negotiations.
Those who do travel are requiredto report their plans and debrief
(04:15):
authorities upon the return.
As the U.S.
continues to restrict Chinese accessto advanced chips.
Taiwan SemiconductorManufacturing Company, also known as
TSMC, is expanding chipmanufacturing in the U.S.
TSMC, the world's leading chip maker,just announced a $100
billion investmentto expand manufacturing in Arizona.
This includesthree additional manufacturing plants
(04:36):
and two packaging facilities, markingone of the largest foreign investments
in U.S. semiconductor history.
Its first factory in Arizonahas already begun mass production of its
four nanometer chips then plans to producetwo nanometer chips by the decade's end.
on the mainland.
China is ramping up incentives to attractTaiwanese talent and businesses.
the Fujian provincial government unveileda new set of 17 incentive measures,
(04:59):
which offer financial subsidies,streamlined investment
applications and housing incentivesto attract Taiwanese workers
in key industries like EV batteries,biopharmaceuticals and media production.
At least 100 positions will be createdannually for Taiwanese
to work in the lithium battery industry.
Subsidies will be providedfor those with academic degrees
and applications for Taiwanese businesses
(05:19):
to invest in radio and televisionproduction will be simplified.
These policies are part of Beijing'sbroader strategy to deepen
cross-strait integrationwith Fujian officially designated
as a model zonefor integrated development in 2023.
At the same time, Beijing has escalatedmilitary pressure in Taiwan,
conducting intensive military drillsin the Taiwan Strait.
moving over to Latin Americain a $22.8 billion deal
(05:42):
an investment group led by BlackRockhas agreed to acquire majority stakes
in ports on both sides of the PanamaCanal from Hong Kong based C.K.
Hutchinson.
This move will shift
control of these strategic ports to anAmerican led consortium, addressing U.S.
security concerns overBeijing's influence in the region.
The two ports, Balboa and Cristobal,are critical corridors
for global trade, bracketingeither end of the Panama Canal.
(06:05):
this deal is part of a broader agreementto acquire C.K.
Hutchinson's controllingstakes in 43 other ports across 23
countries, marking BlackRock'slargest ever infrastructure investment.
In trade news.
Last week, President Trump announceda 10% tariff hike on Chinese imports,
citing the flow of illegal drugs,particularly fentanyl, into the U.S.
from China.
(06:25):
This move brought the total tariffon Chinese goods to 20%.
In response, this Tuesday,China has imposed tariffs on US
agricultural products, including poultryand soybeans, and has blacklisted
sales to 15 American companies.
This expands the range of goodstargeted by China's tariffs,
which previously included liquefiednatural gas, coal and farm equipment.
The latest move carries
(06:45):
significant implicationsfor the American agriculture sector,
as China remains the largest overseasmarket for U.S.
farmers.
As the U.S.-China relationship slidesfurther into a protracted trade conflict,
Both countries are shoring up accessto critical minerals through trade deals.
In the Pacific, China recentlysigned a deal with Cook Islands
Prime Minister Mark Brown coveringinfrastructure, shipbuilding,
(07:06):
tourism and critically,deep sea mineral exploration.
Rarotonga, the largest Cook Island,saw protests against the deal,
along with a parliamentary no confidencevote against Brown, which he survived.
Close regional partners
New Zealand and Australiaalso expressed surprise and alarm.
Seeking to circumvent China'sdominance in critical minerals
supply chains and its strict exportrestrictions, The U.S.
(07:27):
is mulling a deal on mineral accessin war-torn Ukraine,
while simultaneously pursuinga closer relationship with the Kremlin.
Russian President Vladimir Putinalso indicated he may open up
access to rare earth mineralsin annexed regions of Ukraine.
Minerals including lithium and graphite,which Ukraine has in abundance,
are essential to producing batteries, TV,lighting and other high tech products.
(07:48):
But the ongoing war, along with China'sestablished
dominance in the mineral supplychain, Makes it uncertain whether the U.S.
can secure significant gainsfrom Ukrainian minerals.
While economic tensions dominateheadlines, the U.S.-China military
relationship is slowly advancing.
Last Thursday, China'sDefense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian, stated
that preliminary plans for talksbetween military leaders of both countries
(08:09):
had been establishedwith hopes for further growth.
The last known public contact between U.S.
and Chinese military leadersoccurred in September 2023,
when commanders overseeing operationsin the South China Sea held a call,
While China's maneuvers and incursions
in the South China Sea continueto raise concerns among regional U.S.
allies, Stablemilitary talks are widely viewed
as a way to prevent tensionsfrom escalating further.
(08:30):
Lastly, China's most importantpolitical event began today, March 4th.
Held annually,the Two Sessions meeting addresses
the country's current issuesand sets the tone for the year ahead.
This year, likely topics for discussioninclude China's economic challenges.
breakthroughs in AI sectorssuch as DeepSeek, U.S.
tariffs and the rapidlyshifting geopolitical landscape.
(08:51):
And that's allfor today's edition of China and the Hill.
If you enjoyed this podcast,check out the China in the Hill newsletter
where you can read these stories,track legislation,
and dive deeper into the issuesthat matter most.
Link in the descriptionFor more National Committee programing,
check out our other episodeswherever you get your podcasts,
or head over to our YouTube channel
for more in-depth discussions, interviewsand analysis.
(09:11):
Thanks for listening.We'll see you next week.
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